A recent report ranked San Diego as 19th of 50 tech talent markets. One expert says we can do better.

Well-paying jobs and a lower cost of living than the Bay Area give San Diego a leg up in attracting tech talent, but that’s only enough for the 19th spot on CBRE’s list of 50 top North American tech talent markets. In its Tech Talent Scorecard, the commercial real estate and investment firm noted that we’re the eighth highest paying market, but our tech labor pool is smaller than that of 18 other areas.

Mark Cafferty, president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, says although tech wages are climbing and the rent-to-wage ratio here is better than in the Bay Area, LA, or New York, we need to do more to attract and retain a high-tech talent pool to drive innovation. The Bay Area, New York, and Washington, DC have over four times the total tech talent of San Diego.

“The battle for talent is a competitive one, and San Diego will continue to put up a strong fight,” Cafferty says.